Door closing control mechanism



J. vD. WHEELER ETAL DOR CLOSIG CONTROL MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 17, 1964 Filed Sept. 2o, 1960 March 17, 1964 J. D. WHEELER ETAL 3,124,848

. DooR cLosING coNTRoL MEGHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 20. 1960 W w 07 Hl um.A M Uhu... w IU WIM" 1.. m l l .ldHavJ mi.. 9 wmf .m w?

w www@ ,MN/WHW i IIIIIHHI [Hwy l l Hipp@ J4 llplllmnll humm United States Patent O 3,124,848 DG'OR CLSiNtG CNTRL MECHANESM .lames D. Wheeler and Pelham H. Anderson, Jr., Birmingham, Ala., assigner-s to Brasca Manufacturing Cornpany, Harvey, iii., a `cerperation of Deiaware Filed Sept. 2t?, 1365, Ser. No. 57,309 7 Claims. (Ci. 2li- 16) Our invention relates to a door closing control mechanism for doors having some form of power actuating means such as spring r motor opening and closure devices, and in the present instance has particular reference to doors having a torsion bar connected therewith in which energy is stored by the opening of the door and when released acts to close the door, with control means therefor so that the closing of the door is a smooth and continuous operation.

Another and further object of our invention is the provision of a door closing control mechanism for use in connection with a torsion bar which can be quickly and easily adjusted after installation to meet varying changes in condition of operation of the door because of settling of the building, wear on the parts, and the like, to assure smooth and satisfactory operation of the door so as to avoid too rapid closure of the door or the slamming thereof either in the opening or the closing operations.

Another and further object of our invention is the provision of a door control mechanism which is simple and efcient in operation, and which can be easily and quickly installed particularly for use with metal doors, and which is fairly inexpensive to make and install, and which has very few wearing parts in connection with its operation.

These and other objects of our invention will be more fully and better understood by `reference to the accompanying drawings and in which- FIGURE `l is an elevational view partially in section of parts of the 4door and door frame and our improved control mechanism therefor as applied to a two-way swinging door;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view on lines 2-2 of FIG- URE l;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view of lines 3--3 of FGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan sectional view similar to FIGURE 2 showing our control apparatus applied to a one-way swinging door; and

FIGURE 5 illustrates a modified form of device in which a hydraulic braking mechanism is shown instead of springs.

Referring now specifically to the drawings and in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, a part of a door `frame is shown consisting of a side frame member 10, a top frame member 11 secured to the upper end of the frame member in any approved manner, and a threshold 12 extending across the doorway at the bottom of the door opening to a companion door frame side member (not shown) on the opposite side of the doorway. All of these parts are hollow members which are standard in the construction of metal door frames. The top frame member 11 is normally in the form of an inverted U-shaped channel section open along its bottom side, and has a removable cover plate attached thereto although this particular member may be of various types and kinds dilfering from each other in detail but generally is a rectangular hollow section varying only slightly in detail, but having a removable cover plate which can be removed for access to the interior of the frame member.

A portion of a door is shown having a hinge stile 13 at one side thereon, a top rail 14 secured at the upper end of the stile 13 in any approved manner and a bottom stile 15 secured to the hinge stile 13 at its lower end 3,124,848 Patented Mar. 17, 1964 ice which extends across the door to a corresponding door stile at the opposite side of the door. A split thrust block 16 is mounted in the door stile 13 at its lower end which is held together by a pin 17 which extends through the two portions of the thrust block 16 which has a slightly enlarged portion 18 at its lower end and is mounted upon a bearing block 19. The bearing block, in turn, rests upon a bottom torque block 21B in the threshold 12 and which has a curved recess 21 therein adapted to receive the inwardly turned end 22 of a torsion rod 23 mounted in the hinge stile 13 and extending substantially the entire length of the hinge stile 13. The lower end of the torsion rod is held against rotation by the torque block 2li and it also acts as a hinge pin around which the thrust block 16 rotates. An upper torque block 24 is provided having a portion 25 which extends into a channel formed on the upper side of the top rail 14 of the door and is secured to the web 26 of the top rail 14 by screws or other appropriate fastening members. The lower side of the upper torque block 24 has a curved recess 27 formed therein of appropriate size and shape to receive the turned over upper end 28 of the torsion rod 23. The end 28 of the torsion rod 23 projects from the torsion rod 23 in the same direction as the plane of the door when the door is in normal closed position, and is normally parallel with the lower end Z2 of the torsion rod 23 but is movable in a horizontal plane with the opening and closing of the door in either direction as shown in FIGURES l and 2, the door can be opened in two directions thereby twisting the torsion rod 23 and storing energy therein which is used to close the door.

A U-shaped brake mechanism channel 29 is provided, which is fitted as a unit into the top door frame member 11, and consists of a bottom web portion 30 with end portions 31 and 32 extending outward therefrom through slots in the wall of the door frame member 1@ and has vertical side portions 33 and 34 thereon with an up-turned end portion 35 which is fitted against the inside wall of the door frame side member 16 and secured thereto in any approved manner. An end plate 36 extends across the space between the side portions 33 and 34 and is secured thereto in any appropriate manner as by welding. The cross sectional shape of the brake mechanism channel 29 is substantially like the inside cross sectional area of the top 4frame member 11, with the side portions 33 and 34 being fitted against the top and bottom walls of the top member 11 and so arranged that this brake mechanism channel 29 can be -bodily moved into position in the end of the top frame member 11 during the assembling operation of the door frame.

Mounted within the brake mechanism channel 29 is a brake cam 37 which is movably mounted in slides 38- and 39 secured to the walls 33 and 34 of the brake channel mechanism Z9 in any approved manner, as being welded thereto, with the brake cam 37 having a pair of inclined surfaces 40 and 41 on its forward edge which merge into an arcuate surface 42 at the central portion of the cam 37, and have flat face portions 43 and 44 at the outer ends of the surfaces 4t) and 41 for purposes hereinafter described. The degree of inclination of the surfaces 40 and 41 is important and should be at a 20 to 25 degree of angularity to a horizontal plane to insure proper operation of the device. A pair of expansion coiled springs 45 and 46 are mounted in the brake mechanism channel 29 by means of seating members 47 and 48 having trunnions on one side which extend into the brake cam 37 at its rear edge, and has portions 49 thereon over which the end coils of each of the springs 45 and 46 are fitted. A spring end beam Sil is provided with spring holding members 51 and 52 thereon, which are like the spring holding members 47 and 43 and have trunnions 53, 53

which extend into the end beam 5i) so as to hold the springs in compressed position against the brake cam 37. A spring adjustment bolt 54 is provided which is mounted on a stud 55 in the end plate 36 and has a head portion 56 having an opening 57 extending therethrough, with the bolt 54 being in threaded engagement with the spring end of the beam 5t) so that various degrees of compression can be placed upon the springs 45 and 46 by the rotation of the bolt 54, which is accomplished by means of a rod which can be inserted through a slot 58 in the bottom of the web 30 of the brake mechanism channel and through a corresponding slot in the face plate forming a part of the top 11 of the door frame.

An upper hinge pin 59 is provided which is mounted in a recess 60 formed in the upper face of the upper torque block 24, and is secured in position by a pin 61 which extends through an opening in the hinge pin 59 and into an opening -formed in the upper torque block 24 with the hinge pin 59 being rotatably mounted in a bearing 62 and seated in the web portion 30 of the channel 29 and the lower wall of the frame member 11 is seated at its upper end in a bearing 63 which is secured in any approved manner to the top wall of the door frame member 11. The hinge pin 59 has an arm 64 mounted thereon which is bifurcated at its free end and has a roller 65 mounted therein by means of a pin 66 with the roller 65 being in engagement with the inclined faces 40 and 41 and the arcuate face 42 of the brake cam 37 during the operation of the device as applied to a double way swinging door.

A modified form of device is shown in FIGURE 5, which is substantially the same as has been hereinabove described, and has a brake cam 67 mounted therein which is movably mounted at each of its side edges in the slides 38 and 39 secured to the side portions 33 and 34 of the brake mechanism channel 29, with the brake cam 67 having inwardly inclined brake surfaces 68 and 69 at its forward edge terminating in an arcuate surface 7 0 joining these inclined surfaces at the center of the cam 67 and within which the roller 65 rests when the door is in closed position. The angularity of the surfaces 68 and 69 should be at a to 25 degree angle with respect to a longitudinal plane through the mechanism in order to insure proper operation of the door. A hydraulic cylinder 71 is mounted upon a T-shaped block 72 which is secured to the web portion 30 of the brake mechanism channel 29 at its rear end by means of a screw 73 which allows a certain amount of flexibility of movement of the cylinder 71. A piston rod 74 extends from one end of the cylinder 71 and is secured by means of a pin 75 to the rear side of the brake cam 67. The cylinder 71 is of the usual hydraulic type of mechanism with a piston head located therein, with passages therein in such manner that hydraulic fluid, such as oil, or the like, will flow from one side of the piston head to the other in the operation of the device, with adjusting screws 76 and 77 being provided by means of which the area of the passages is increased or made smaller so the speed of operation of the hydraulic cylinder is controlled. The hydraulic cylinder 71 is of the same type and character as that used in ordinary closure mechanisms for doors, and its construction and operation is well understood in the art.

Also a slightly modied form of device as compared rwith that shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 is shown in FIG- URE 4 for application to a door opening in one direction only, and is substantially like the form of device described hereinabove with the exception that the door is mounted to one side of the door frame instead of centrally thereof, and has a brake cam 78 mounted therein and in engagement with the springs 45' and 46 with the brake cam 7S having a single inclined face 79 thereon which is engaged by a roller 80 mounted in an arm 81 which in turn is secured to the upper` end of the hinge pin 59 in exactly the same manner as is illustrated in the form of the device shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. The arm 81 is mounted at a right angle to the plane of the door so in the closed position of the door the arm till extends transversely of the channel 29 and in the open position of the door extends horizontally thereof. The inclined face 79 on the brake cam 78 must be at an angle of 20 to 25 degrees to the horizontal in order to secure the proper operation of the device and is intended to function only in the closing operation of the door and is not provided with means for holding the door in closed position as is the form of device shown in FGURES l and 2.

The operation of the form of the device shown in FIG- URES l and 2 will be easily understood, in that, when the door is in closed position the roller 65 will rest in the arcuate surface 42 and as the door is pushed to open position in a counterclockwise direction, the torsion rod 23 will be twisted until the door reaches its fully open position with the roller 65 moving over the surface 40 to the flat surface 44 on the brake cam 67 and in this position the door will be held open by engagement of the roller 65 against the Hat surface 44 of the brake cam 37. When the door is moved in a clockwise direction towards closed position, the roller 65 is pulled off the flat surface 44 whereupon the energy stored in the torsion rod exerts itself on the door towards its closed position and the door continues turning towards its closed position until the roller 65 reaches the arcuate surface 42 where it is held in closed stationary position. As the roller 65 travels down the inclined surface 41 a braking or retarding force is exerted against the torsion force of the bar 23 for the major portion of the travel of the roller 65 and until a neutral point is reached on the inclined surface 41. This neutral point would be located by a line extending through the center of the pintle 59 and perpendicular to the inclined face of the cam with equal inside angles in each side of the line, at which point the force of the cam head 37 under pressure of the springs 45 and 46 is neutralized and absorbed by the pintle 59 through the arm 64. As the roller 64 passes from the shoulder 44 downward to the neutral point on the inclined surface, a torsion force in a counter-clockwise direction is exerted on the arm 64. As the neutral point is passed (very quickly and when this action occurs) the torsion force of the cam head 37 on the arm is reversed to a clockwise direction. Also, at this neutral point the torsion force 0f the bar 23 has been about completely expended and the supplementing force of the cam head 37 is needed to insure the complete closing of the door. The combined forces of the torsion bar 23 and the cam head are quite low and when both are applied, a gentle and slow final closing of the door is achieved without an overrun of either force because the torsion bar has expended its stored force and the roller 64 runs onto the neutral arcuate surface 42 joining the cam faces 40 and 41.. The lowermost point of the cam such as 42 should be in'alinement with the hinge pin 57 where a V-faced cam is employed in order that proper operation of the device may be secured. The rate of the release of energy stored in the torsion rod is controlled by pressure of the springs 45 and 46 upon the brake cam 67 so that the door will not close too rapidly nor with too much force so that if the door strikes a person in the closing operation 1t will not result in injury to the person. lf there is a slight overrun in the closing operation of the door due to momentum obtained by the door and the roller 65 passes the arcuate surface 42 it immediately engages the surface 41 so that the door is easily brought to rest in a proper closed position.

When the door is opened in a clockwise direction exactly the same operation takes place except in this instance the torsion rod is twisted in a clockwise direction 'with the roller running upward on the surface 41 until it reaches the flat surface 43 where it will remain until removed by force exerted on the door towards its closed position. When the door is moved towards its closed position it is closed swinging in a counter-clockwise direction exactly the same operation occurring as is described hereinabove.

With the device as shown in FIGURE 5, the operation is precisely the same as that just described except that the brake cam 67 -does not have the flat surfaces such as 43 and 44 thereon, and therefore, this mechanism will not hold the door in open position at the end of its path of travel regardless of what direction the door is opened. When the door reaches its `full open position, or some position short thereof, an opening pressure is removed therefrom, the force of the torsion rod immediately takes over, and the door is thereupon closed against the braking action of the piston in the hydraulic cylinder 71 in the same manner as was heretofore described.

In the operation of the modied form described in FIGURE 4, the door is opened in a clockwise direction which moves the arm Si mounted on the upper hinge pin 59 in a clockwise direction over the surface 79 of the brake cam 7S while pressure thereon is maintained in varying degrees by the springs 45 and 46. No provision is made for holding the door in open position with this form of device and when opening pressure upon the door is released, the door will immediately be closed by action of the torsion rod 23 against the force of the springs 45 and 46 until it is brought to closed position.

While we have described more or less precisely the details of construction, we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves thereto, as we contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention.

What is claimed:

l. In combination with a door pivotally mounted in a door frame, means secured to the door and to the frame whereby it is spring biased toward closed position, a channel member having side and end portions mounted in a horizontal element of the door frame, a longitudinally movable cam mounted in said channel and having the cam surface thereon extending diagonally thereof at an angle of -25 degrees, a hinge pin rotatably mounted in the channel member extending through the channel member and into the door and lixed against rotation in the door, an arm on the hinge pin fixed to the hinge pin at one of its ends and extending outward therefrom with its free end in engagement with the cam surface on the longitudinally movable cam and so positioned relative to the cam surface that a braking force is exerted upon the biasing means for the door for the major portion of the closing movement of the door and an accelerating closing force exerted upon the biasing means in the final closing movement of the door, and pressure means in the door frame in engagement with said cam whereby the cam surface is held in engagement with free end of the said arm throughout the entire closing movement of the door.

2. In combination with a door pivotally mounted in a door frame, means secured to the door and to the frame whereby it is spring biased toward closed position, a channel member having side and end portions mounted in a horizontal element of the door frame, a longitudinally movable cam mounted in said channel and having the cam surface thereon extending diagonally thereof at an angle of 20-25 degrees, a hinge pin rotatably mounted in the channel member extending through the channel member and into the door and fixed against rotation in the door, an arm on the hinge pin fixed to the hinge pin at one of its ends and extending outward therefrom with its free end in engagement with the cam surface on the longitudinally movable cam and so positioned relative to the cam surface that a braking force is exerted upon the biasing means for the door for the major portion of the closing movement of the door and an accelerating force exerted upon the biasing means in the final closing movement of the door, and pressure means in the door frame in engagement with said cam whereby the cam surface is held in engagement with free end of the said arm throughout the entire closing movement of the door.

3. In combination with a door pivotally mounted in a door frame, means secured to the door and to the frame whereby it is spring biased toward closed position, a channel member having side and end portions mounted in a horizontal element of the door frame, a longitudinally movable cam mounted in said channel and having the cam surface thereon extending diagonally thereof at an angle of 20-25 degrees, a hinge pin rotatably mounted in the channel member extending through the channel member and into the door and fixed against rotation in the door, an arm on the hinge pin fixed to the hinge pin at one of its ends and extending outward therefrom with its free end in engagement with the cam surface on the longitudinally movable cam and so positioned relative to the cam surface that a braking force is exerted upon the biasing means for the door for the major portion of the closing movement of the door and an accelerating force exerted upon the biasing means in the final closing movement of thedcor, and pressure means in the door frame in engagement with said carn whereby the cam surface is held in engagement with the free end of the said arm throughout the entire closing movement of the door.

4. In combination with a door pivotally mounted in a door frame, means secured to the door and to the frame whereby it is spring biased toward closed position, a channel member having side and end portions mounted in a horizontal element of the door frame, a longitudinally movable cam mounted in said channel and having cam surfaces thereon extending diagonally thereof at an angle of 20-25 degrees, a hinge pin rotatably mounted in the channel member extending through the channel member and into the door and fixed against rotation in the door, an arm on the hinge pin lixed to the hinge pin at one of its ends and extending outward therefrom with its free end in engagement with the cam surface on the longitudinally movable cam and so positioned relative to the cam surface that a braking force is exerted upon the biasing means for the door for the major portion of the closing movement of the door and an accelerating force exerted upon the biasing means in the iinal closing movement of the door, and pressure means in the door frame in engagement with said cam whereby the cam surface is held in engagement with free end of the said arm throughout the entire closing movement of the door, the said cam faces converging at a central point of said cam.

5. In combination with a door pivotally mounted in a door frame, means secured to the door and to the frame whereby it is spring biased toward closed position, a channel member having side and end portions mounted in a horizontal element of the door frame, a longitudinally movable cam mounted in said channel and having cam surfaces thereon extending diagonally thereof at an angle of 2025 degrees, a hinge pin rotatably mounted in the channel member extending through the channel member and into the door and fixed against rotation in the door, an arm on the hinge pin fixed to the hinge pin at one of its ends and extending outward therefrom with its free end in engagement with the cam surface on the longitudinally movable cam and so positioned relative to the cam surface that a braking force is exerted upon the biasing means for the door for the major portion of the closing movement of the door and an accelerating force exerted upon the biasing means in the linal closing movement of the door, and pressure means in the door frame in engagement with said cam whereby the cam surface is held in engagement with free end of the said arm throughout the entire closing movement of the door, the said cam faces converging at a central point of said cam and having short transverse faces at the outer ends of each of the said cam faces.

6. In combination with a door pivotally mounted in a door frame, means secured to the door and to the frame whereby it is spring biased toward closed position, a channel member having side and end portions mounted in a horizontal element of the door frame, a longitudinally movable cam mounted in said channel and having the cam surface thereon extending diagonally thereof at an angle of 20-25 degrees, a hinge pin rotatably mounted in the channel member extending through the channel member and into the door and xed against rotation in the door, an arm on the hinge pin xed to the hinge pin at one of its ends and extending outward therefrom with its free end in engagement with the cam surface on the longitudinally movable cam and so positioned relative to the cam surface that a braking force is exerted upon the biasing means for the door for the major portion of the closing movement of the door and an accelerating force exerted upon the biasing means in the nal closing movement of the door, and pressure means in the door frame in engagement with said cam whereby the cam surface is held in engagement with free end of the said arm throughout the entire closing movement of the door, the said cam converging at a central point of said cam and having short transverse faces at the other ends of each of the said cam faces, the said hinge pin being in alignment with the juncture point of the said diagonally extending faces.

7. In combination with a door pivotally mounted in a door frame, means secured to the door and to the frame whereby it is spring biased toward closed position, a channel member having side and end portions mounted in a horizontal element of the door frame, a longitudinally movable cam mounted in said channel and having the cam surface thereon extending diagonally thereof at an angle of 20-25 degrees, a hinge pin rotatably mounted in thc channel member extending through the channel member and into the door and xed against rotation in the door, an arm on the hinge pin xed to the hinge pin at one of its ends and extending outward therefrom with its free end in engagement with the cam surface on the longitudinally movable cam and so positioned relative to the cam surface that a braking force is exerted upon the biasing means for the door for the major portion of the closing movement of the door and an accelerating force exerted upon the biasing means in the final closing movement of the door, and pressure means in the door frame in engagement with said cam whereby the cam surface is held in engagement with the free end of the said arm throughout the entire closing movement of the door whereby a decelerating force is exerted upon the door in the initial closing of the door and an accelerating force is exerted upon the door in its nal closing movement.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,413,475 Walts Dec. 3l, 1946 2,700,175 Carlson Jan. 25, 1955 2,769,195 Hanssen Nov. 6, 1956 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A DOOR PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN A DOOR FRAME, MEANS SECURED TO THE DOOR AND TO THE FRAME WHEREBY IT IS SPRING BIASED TOWARD CLOSED POSITION, A CHANNEL MEMBER HAVING SIDE AND END PORTIONS MOUNTED IN A HORIZONTAL ELEMENT OF THE DOOR FRAME, A LONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE CAM MOUNTED IN SAID CHANNEL AND HAVING THE CAM SURFACE THEREON EXTENDING DIAGONALLY THEREOF AT AN ANGLE OF 20-25 DEGREES, A HINGE PIN ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN THE CHANNEL MEMBER EXTENDING THROUGH THE CHANNEL MEMBER AND INTO THE DOOR AND FIXED AGAINST ROTATION IN THE DOOR, AN ARM ON THE HINGE PIN FIXED TO THE HINGE PIN AT ONE OF ITS ENDS AND EXTENDING OUTWARD THEREFROM WITH ITS FREE END IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CAM SURFACE ON THE LONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE CAM AND SO POSITIONED RELATIVE TO THE CAM SURFACE THAT A BRAKING FORCE IS EXERTED UPON THE BIASING MEANS FOR THE DOOR FOR THE MAJOR PORTION OF 